


How Fast the Night Changes

by youbeyou



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, Famous Harry, Fluff and Crack, It feels really minimal, L.A., M/M, Non-Famous Louis, mostly takes place over the course of one night, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 15:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7807969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youbeyou/pseuds/youbeyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“I’m sorry, Dominic. I’m-“ Harry tugs on his trousers again, finally getting them to slip over his arse. “I’m pretty sure my boyfriend would be opposed to me going on a date with someone else.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Harry thinks he delivers the lie pretty convincingly but he doesn’t stop to check, reaching for the next shirt on his rack. Isn’t there supposed to be someone helping him with this?</em>
</p><p> <em>Dominic stiffens at Harry’s words. “You have a boyfriend? Who is it?”</em></p><p>  <em>“That would be me,” an absolutely gorgeous man that Harry’s never seen in his life answers...</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	How Fast the Night Changes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [1dinourbed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/1dinourbed/gifts).



> To the mods and my giftee, thank you for letting me be a part of this and for giving me such wonderful prompts!
> 
> The places described in this fic are entirely real. I have never been there and my research may be lacking so, if you know these places and see something I've done wrong, please let me know.

Harry struggles pulling on his trousers. This is supposed to be a fairly quick change and it’s being made even more difficult by the model that’s currently hitting on him instead of letting him get on with it.

“You know you want to,” Dominic leers, staring brazenly at Harry’s arse.

Seriously, you make  _one_  ambiguous comment that alludes to your bisexuality in an interview (or three) and every guy who’s ever wanked to your picture comes out of the woodwork. His back to Dominic, Harry rolls his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Dominic. I’m-“ Harry tugs on his trousers again, finally getting them to slip over his bare arse. He’d wear pants but the designer prefers his models leave nothing to the imagination. “I’m pretty sure my boyfriend would be opposed to me going on a date with someone else.”

Harry thinks he delivers the lie pretty convincingly but he doesn’t stop to check, reaching for the next shirt on his rack. Isn’t there supposed to be someone helping him with this?

Dominic stiffens at Harry’s words. “You have a boyfriend? Who is it?”

“That would be me,” an absolutely gorgeous man that Harry’s never seen in his life answers, pushing Dominic out of the way. “Now, do you mind getting in line and letting me do my job?”

 _Oh_ , he’s a dresser, Harry realizes as he takes in the man’s shirt with the designer’s name  _Lafayette_  emblazoned on the chest, the headset on his head, and the steady hands that straighten the shirt Harry’s tugged on. Said hands move to button the bottom three buttons, leaving the top to flow open when he walks and show off the sparrows inked onto Harry’s chest and the butterfly tattoo on his abdomen. There are plenty of designers that won’t hire Harry because of the tattoos, no matter how much the public loves him, but he’s pretty sure Lafayette hired him specifically because of them.

“Perfect,” the man hums. He leans in and presses the swiftest, lightest kiss to Harry’s lips. Harry’s eyes close and his lips purse to accept the kiss automatically. “Now, get in line, darling. Wouldn’t want to miss your cue, would you?”

“Thanks, love,” Harry grins, happy to play the part if it gets Dominic to leave him alone for the moment, and rushes to his spot, feeling a light slap to his arse that has him turning back to the handsome dresser, mouth opened in a scandalized “O”.

The dresser just shrugs with a smirk on his face and Harry grins again, tossing him a cheeky wink because Dominic is still there, watching.

“Styles,” Harry hears his name and turns away from both of them, wiping the smile from his face in favor of the barely-there smirk that makes him look like a bit of an arsehole as he strides out onto the runway. Apparently, people love it when he looks like an arsehole. Go figure.

 

+++

 

 

Louis hates Dominic Asiago. The model thinks he’s God’s gift, as is proven by the way he’s still glaring after Harry Styles as he disappears onto the runway to the beat of Little Mix’s “Black Magic”, which also happens to be the name of Lafayette’s Spring Line that they’re modelling.

Louis grabs the model by the arm, careful not to wrinkle the shirt he’s wearing, and deposits him in line.

“There,” Louis says, self-satisfied as he tugs the model’s shirt straight, knowing that it’s just going to annoy the man. He steps back to assess him before he takes his turn on the runway. “Eh, it’ll do,” he finally says turning away and hiding a snicker as Dominic looks down at his outfit in a slight panic. The man isn’t used to being described as anything other than perfect and it’s already eating at him that something’s apparently wrong with how he looks and he has no idea what it is. It won’t occur to him until later that Louis is just fucking with him.

“Asiago,” the man’s name is called and he straightens despite his inner turmoil and walks out just as Harry walks back in.

“Follow me, Styles,” Louis orders, gripping Harry’s wrist and rushing him back to his rack. “Sorry about before.”

Harry looks at him with confusion as he unbuttons his own shirt while Louis picks up his next one and removes it from its hanger for him. “What for?”

“You know, the kiss,” Louis says, refusing to look the model in the eye. Truth be told, Louis’ been fantasizing about kissing Harry Styles since the model appeared on the scene at the tender age of sixteen. Louis was eighteen at the time and Harry was his first real celebrity crush. “And maybe the arse slap.”

“Only maybe?” Harry asks with a raised brow as he takes the shirt and slips it on but his half-smile tells Louis that he’s not too vexed about it.

“Okay, definitely. Sorry for that,” Louis tells him, picking up Harry’s next set of trousers and looking away politely when Harry strips out of the ones he’s wearing.

“Well, considering that you were probably saving me from a worse fate, I think you can be forgiven.” Louis can hear the smile in his voice but doesn’t turn back until Harry’s taken the trousers from his hands and he hears the audible sound of them zipping and blocking his view of Harry’s bits. Well, mostly. Honestly, Louis’ boss is a bit of a letch, designing clothes that are barely better than running around naked.  He even has his models walk barefoot.

“All I ask is that you don’t have your actual boyfriend kill me,” Louis mutters, leading Harry back to the line.

Harry squints his eyes at him, looking adorably befuddled for a moment before his eyes light up with understanding. “Oh, you thought-! No, I don’t have a boyfriend. I just told Dominic that because…”

The  _he’s Dominic_  remains unsaid but causes Louis to grin widely. So Harry is more than just a pretty face. The tabloids would lead you to believe otherwise, if you let them.

“But you’re too nice to say ‘fuck off’,” Louis finishes the sentence for him. He can already tell it’s true.

“Styles,” Harry is called for his final walk and Louis gestures for him to go. He’s got a job to do. They both do and Louis should definitely get back to his.

“We’ll finish this conversation later,” Harry promises as he turns and struts out onto the runway, a swagger in his walk the makes Louis feel dizzy with want. Honestly, there probably isn’t a single person watching that he  _doesn’t_  make feel dizzy with want.

They don’t get to finish their conversation, Harry being the last to walk before all the models are on the runway and the designer, Lafayette, is joining them so everyone can lavish him with applause and congratulations. And since Louis is more than just a dresser, actually having managed to somehow become Lafayette’s right hand, he has work to do that keeps him from seeking the model out once the show is over.

It’s disappointing but when he thinks about it, Louis got to kiss his long-time crush, so the night isn’t a total loss.

 

+++

 

“Where’s your boyfriend, now?” Dominic is back. Leering again. Though, Harry isn’t really sure at this point that Dominic knows how to do anything else. Maybe his face is just stuck like that.

“He’s busy,” Harry answers, swirling his drink in his glass as he looks anywhere but at Dominic. If you make eye contact, people tend to think you’re interested in what they have to say.

Harry hates these after parties. Even after years of being in this industry, he finds that he can’t really relate to most of his peers. The majority of them only want to sleep with him anyway. There have been a few good ones, models he’s actually become really close friends with but none of them are here tonight.

“He’s an idiot for leaving you alone,” Dominic sneers, stepping closer. Way too close.

“It’s not like he’s walking around flirting with everyone in the room, Dominic. He’s working,” Harry nods towards where Louis is directing the flow of traffic from the kitchen, still wearing his headset and now carrying a clipboard as well. Harry had asked Lafayette earlier and discovered that his fake boyfriend was the designer’s personal assistant. Also, upon realizing that Harry hadn’t learned his name, he’d uncovered that he was fake dating Louis Tomlinson, 24, originally of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

“Such a pitiful specimen.”

Harry’s eyes narrow. He doesn’t really know this Louis fellow but he seems like an alright sort and Harry doesn’t like the way Dominic keeps putting him down when he knows the other model doesn’t know Louis either.

“That’s my boyfriend you’re insulting.”

“Not for long, if you’re ready to move up to the major leagues,” Dominic crowds Harry, boxing him in in a corner.

“Actually, I’d tell you to go fuck yourself, but you’re so full of yourself, I think maybe you already are,” Harry says as he pushes Dominic off of him, surprising both himself and the other model.

A loud cackle behind Dominic has Harry glancing over the other man’s shoulder to find Louis standing there, eyes crinkling with mirth, hand covering his mouth as he laughs.

“Are you alright, darling?” Louis asks Harry, still giggling through his words. “I was just coming to check on you but it seems you have everything sorted here.”

“I’m fine, babe,” Harry can’t help grinning back, finding Louis’ delighted grin contagious. “Was over before it even began.”

Dominic glares back and forth between them getting the distinct (correct) impression that they’re both laughing at him, huffs indignantly, and stalks off. His absence barely registers with either of them as they stare, smiling at each other.

 “Thanks,” Harry says, biting his lower lip. Louis wonders if he knows just how sexy that is. If he’s doing it on purpose to drive Louis crazy. “For checking on me.”

“S’what a boyfriend’s supposed to do, innit?” Louis answers with a shrug, eyeing Harry’s pink lips and earnest green eyes. God, he gets even more beautiful every second Louis spends in his presence.

“Will a boyfriend be getting in trouble for leaving his post?” Harry asks, nodding over Louis’ shoulder to where Lafayette is standing, nearly ready to pull out his hair at the congestion that’s occurring near the doors to the kitchen due to Louis’ absence.

Louis winces when he sees it. “Shit. I’m probably fired.”

“Do you want me to talk to him? I’ll tell him it’s my fault,” Harry offers, already making his way over to the eccentric man that employs them both.

“No, it’s alright,” Louis stops Harry with a hand on his arm. “I kind of hate this job.”

“Really?” Harry’s brows nearly reach his hairline. “Then why do you do it?”

“I’ve just been holding out for a hot, model boyfriend all this time,” Louis smirks, curling his right arm around Harry’s left. “Mission accomplished, right? I’m set now.”

Harry laughs, cheeks dimpling sweetly. “Oh, well. When you put it like that.”

“Hey, do you want to get out of here?” Louis asks suddenly and Harry thinks this might be the first time all night he’s actually been serious.

“Yes.  _Please_ ,” Harry answers just as sincerely.

“Not sure if your enthusiasm is an insult to this lame-arse party or a compliment to my tremendous personality but I’ll take it,” Louis jokes, tugging Harry with him out of the room, out of the venue, and into the night. “Don’t think I told you before, but I’m Louis, in case you were wondering.”

“I know,” Harry says with a smirk, cheeks warming when Louis looks at him with shock, followed by appreciation, like he likes that Harry is capable of surprising him.

If Louis were truly to ask, Harry would tell him it’s a bit of both, Louis himself  _and_  Harry’s hatred of those events. In parties like that, where no one knows him or even really likes him for more than his body and pretty face, Harry often feels suffocated. But out here, walking along a bustling street with a man he barely knows, Harry feels like the night is full of possibility. And that’s a feeling that’s been missing from his life for entirely too long.

 

+++

 

“Are you-?”

“ _Yes_ , okay?!” Louis cuts off the girl that stops them in middle of the street, phone in hand and stars in her eyes as she looks at Harry. “He  _is_  Mick Jagger’s lovechild! You see, Harry?  I  _knew_  someone would recognize you. I told you we should have stayed at the hotel! Now everyone is going to be asking you to get them your father’s autograph. The night is ruined!”

Harry takes in the girl looking at Louis like he’s lost it and he bites his cheek trying to hold back a laugh. The girl’s eyes flick to Harry and she looks so unsure for a moment.

“If this is a bad time…” she mutters, taking a step back and Harry decides to take pity on her.

“I’m not actually Mick Jagger’s lovechild,” he says, calmly. “At least, not that I know of.”

“It is uncanny though, isn’t it?” Louis leans in, like he’s sharing a secret with the girl and  _wasn’t_  just trying to yank her chain.

“I suppose so,” She giggles nervously.

“Did you want a picture?” Harry asks sweetly.

“Can I?” She asks, holding her phone close to her chest hopefully.

“Sure,” Harry dimples at the girl and she nearly squeals with excitement.

“I’ll take it!” Louis offers, holding his hand out for the phone and Harry thinks the girl is pretty smart for hesitating to give it to him.

“I’ll do it,” Harry laughs, taking the phone and opening the camera as the girl snuggles in under his arm for the shot. Louis squeezes in on Harry’s other side at the last second, tongue sticking out when the camera clicks. It’s a decent picture and Harry thinks the addition of Louis being silly adds something to it. But maybe he’s biased, already ridiculously fond of the other man.

“Thank you,” the girl gushes, hugging Harry quickly before backing off.

“If you’re planning on posting that somewhere, can you wait for just a bit?” Harry asks before she can scamper off.

“Of course,” she promises. “Thank you, again!”

Harry waves as she walks away.

“BYE!” Louis shouts, waving his arm over his head wildly, Harry suspects just to make him laugh. “Sweet girl. She’s probably already posting that picture though.”

“I know. We’d better go,” Harry agrees far too happily for someone who expects he’s just been lied to.

Louis gasps. “I know where we should go!” He grabs Harry’s wrist hauls him along after him as he chases down a cab. “How do you feel about time travel, young Harold?” He asks as they climb in the backseat of the car that’s finally stopped for them.

“That it’s impossible?” Harry doesn’t know where this is going but he’s already smiling. Er, well.  _Still_ smiling. He doesn’t think he’s stopped smiling since Louis whisked him away on this little adventure of theirs.

Louis scoffs. “Where’s your imagination, Harold?”

He turns to the driver. “1714 West Sunset Boulevard.”

“Where are we going?” Harry asks, looking at him curiously. Louis loves that sparkles in his eyes, loves even more that  _he’s_  the one who managed to put them there.

“Somewhere the impossible is possible, Curly. You’ll love it, I promise,” Louis assures him.

Twenty minutes later they pull up to [The Echo Park Time Travel Mart](http://www.timetravelmart.com/). It’s dark inside, having been closed for a good three hours by now. And Harry thinks it’s definitely cool that Louis knows of a place like this, but he can’t help feeling disappointed that they won’t get to go inside.

“You’ll be ready?” Louis asks into his phone. He’d gasped again five minutes ago and yanked his phone out, dialing someone called Niall and he’s been on the phone ever since. It sounds like he’s setting up something that hopefully he’ll share with Harry later so Harry can’t seem to bring himself to mind. “Alright, an hour. See you then!”

“Sorry about that,” Louis pats Harry’s shoulder.

“It’s okay,” Harry shrugs. This is L.A. He’s actually used to worse.

“It’s a surprise for later,” Louis promises, pocketing his phone and glancing out the window. “Oh, we’re here!”

“Yeah, but it’s closed,” Harry laments, gesturing to the darkened building.

“Not to us, young Harold,” Louis grins, dangling a set of keys in front of Harry’s face. “Now, come on. Out you get.”

Harry lets Louis push him out of the cab, reaching for his wallet to pay before Louis yanks it from his hands. “Not today, babe. Can’t have anyone thinking I can’t provide for my fake boyfriend, now can we?” He tosses Harry’s wallet back to him as he pulls out his own.

“You probably just lost your job, Louis,” Harry complains. “I don’t mind paying for the cab.”

“It’s alright,” Louis promises as the cab pulls away, leaving them in the dark outside of a closed shop. “Honestly, I’d probably be shitting myself if I hadn’t gotten another offer earlier tonight. As it is, I have an interview on Monday!” Louis grins, showing all his teeth before his brow furrows and the smile drops from his face in favor of a look of contemplation. “Actually, I think he called it a go-see?”

“You’ve got a go-see on Monday?” Harry asks, far too excited about Louis possibly getting a job when it won’t benefit him in the least. “That’s amazing! Who’s it for?”

“I don’t remember,” Louis rummages in his pocket as he walks to the door of the shop. “Here.”  He hands Harry the card he pulls out without looking at it and works on unlocking the shop as Harry studies it.

“Liam Payne? You have a go-see with Liam Payne?” Harry sounds a bit like he might hyperventilate.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Louis shrugs, pulling Harry into the shop and locking the door behind him. “Why? Who’s he?”

Harry freezes, locking eyes with Louis when he turns to face him and just… staring. “Louis,” he starts cautiously. “Do you have any idea what a go-see is?”

“I mean, it’s just like an interview, right?” He asks, flipping on the light switch. The way Harry’s staring at him is making him nervous.

“Not quite. I mean,  _kind of_ ,” Harry’s nose scrunches adorably as he tries to figure out how to explain to Louis what an opportunity he’s being presented with. “Louis, a go-see is how models get a job. They go to the designer and if they like what they see, they’ll hire you. Liam Payne is England’s top men’s fashion designer and, apparently, he’s at least  _considering_  you for his next L.A. show. ”

“What?!?” Louis laughs, taking the card from Harry’s hand and studying it. “That makes absolutely no sense. I’m no model!”

“I mean, you’ve got the face for it,” Harry disagrees quietly.

“Aww, my fake boyfriend thinks I’m hot,” Louis smirks, taking Harry’s hands and pulling him deeper into the store. He drops Harry’s hands and gestures around them. “Have a look.”

Harry ignores the heat on his cheeks in favor of doing as Louis says and looking around. “Robot toupees? Barbarian Repellant?” He laughs joyously. “This is brilliant,” he says, picking up a can of ‘Primordial Soup’. “What  _is_  this place?”

“I thought you’d like it,” Louis watches Harry with a soft gaze and bitten down grin. “It’s actually a literary non-profit organization. There’s a classroom hidden in the back where kids are taught to set their imaginations free,” he tells Harry, spreading his hands out like he’s scattering all the possibilities out in the air before him.

“That’s amazing,” Louis can hear the sincerity in Harry’s words. Of course, based on what he’s learned of the model so far, he’s not surprised. Harry seems like the kind of man that would volunteer to help out if he had the time. “Do  _you_  teach them?”

Louis wasn’t expecting the question and shrugs, playing off his involvement. “I come in when I can.”

“That’s an awful lot of trust they’ve given someone who only ‘ _comes in when he can_ ’,” Harry jokes knowingly, reaching out to tug on the set of keys now dangling from a cord on Louis’ wrist. He’s far too smart for Louis’ good.

Harry hasn’t known him long but he can already tell that Louis is larger than life. He’s got so much in him that  _should_  be shared with the world, it seems right that he would be passing on his enthusiasm to the kids that come here reaching for a dream that most don’t dare even try for.

Louis looks away from him. It’s possible he’s wrong, but it seems like there are a lot more stars in Harry’s eyes as the night progresses. Louis can’t afford to hope that it means anything.

“See the books on these shelves,” he runs his fingers over the spines as Harry studies them, nodding that he does, in fact, see them. “They’re all for sale. And every one of them was written by one of the kids that come here.”

“Yeah?” Harry’s grin is full of awe as he takes in the books with renewed interest, like they’re shiny and new because they were written by children that were taught that their voices matter, that they can do this thing they’re passionate about with no strings to hold them back.

To be honest, Louis hates knowing this about Harry. He hates seeing Harry trailing his fingers over the spine of book after book as though he’ll learn something about the child that wrote it through this alone. He hates the way Harry’s face is lit up by the prospect of selling children a dream that’s not out of their reach. Because knowing these things will only make it harder to walk away when their strange, beautiful, whirlwind adventure is over. Honestly, what was he  _thinking_  bringing Harry here?

Harry turns to Louis with that ever-present smile that eats at Louis’ heart the longer it’s present. “I’d like to help, if I can. Is there something I can do?”

Louis nearly sighs.  _Fuck it all_ , he really is perfect, isn’t he?

“I’ll find out what I can for you,” he promises, glancing at his watch. “Come on,” he reaches for Harry’s hand, trying to ignore the way his heart jumps to his throat when Harry twines their fingers together. “I’ll show you where the magic happens.”

Louis drags Harry back to the room where the kids write and they spend the next half an hour coming up with a ridiculous story together. Harry, the sentimental knob, insists on writing down every word.

(“Who knows, Lou? Maybe it’ll be good enough to publish one day!”

It’s not. It sucks.

Harry keeps it anyway, folding the pages in half and tucking them into the inner pocket of his blazer.)

Another glance at Louis’ watch has Louis calling for a cab and hurrying Harry out of the shop when it arrives.

“Come on, Curly! We’ll be late,” He complains as he pulls Harry into the cab after him, even though Louis was the one taking his time locking up while Harry simply held the car door for him.

“2930 Fletcher Drive,” Louis tells the cabbie, before Harry’s even fully seated next to him.

“Where are we going now?” Harry asks as he gets settled, buckling himself in, though he’s got a burning suspicion that Louis won’t tell him.

“You should know me better than that by now, love,” Louis smirks at him, turning away to stare out the window so that Harry can’t pout his way into an answer Louis isn’t quite ready to give.

 _How is it possible to learn someone so quickly_ , Harry wonders as they ride quietly to their next destination. Already, he knows how Louis loves setting up a good surprise. He knows that the other man is kind, charitable, funny, and open in so many ways. Knows that his hand fits Harry’s better than he ever remembers anyone else’s. He knows that Louis is the kind of person he needs more of in his life, the sort of person he wants to be around all the time. He swallows at the thought, glancing over at him as a thrill of anticipation gives him shivers down his spine.

After about thirteen minutes of riding, they arrive on the L.A Van De Kamp College Campus, specifically a Denny’s, causing Harry’s brow to furrow in confusion. “You’re hungry?” He asks as Louis pulls him out of the cab again.

“Not exactly,” Louis laughs, taking his hand after the cab is paid for and pulling him behind the restaurant.

It doesn’t take Harry long to find the neon sign lit up to announce their arrival at the [Electric Dusk Drive-In](http://www.electricduskdrivein.com/), nor the giant screen that’s currently dark at the moment. There are no cars around and Harry can’t help wondering what’s going on.

“Right on time,” a voice calls out of the dark and Harry squints until he sees a blond with a delighted smile step out of the shadows. “That has to be a first.”

“Shut up, Neil,” Louis orders cheerfully.

“Hi,” the blond turns to Harry, holding out his hand. “I’m Niall, big fan.”

“Oh,” Harry shakes his hand, still uncertain what’s going on. “Thank you.”

“Don’t know what you’re doing with this one,” Niall continues, thumbing towards Louis and leaning forward with his hand next to his mouth as though he’s going to share a secret for only Harry’s ears. “He’s a bit bananas, mate,” he says without lowering his voice even the slightest.

Harry leans forward to meet him, not lowering his voice either. “Bananas are, like, my favorite thing.”

Louis’ smile could rival the sun. Harry might have to take back his last statement. Louis’ smiles might be his favorite thing.

Niall’s eyebrows raise to his hair line and a grin takes over his face. “Well, alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Menus, Neil,” Louis demands, breaking into their conversation, smacking his friend in the arm and stealing a couple of menus from his hand. He hands one to Harry and starts studying his own. “Still have popcorn?” He asks the blond, nonchalantly.

“Nope,” the man answers, rubbing his arm where Louis hit him. “And if I didn’t I wouldn’t give you any.”

“Only sweets then, Harry. It’s after hours.” Louis tells the model that’s staring, amused, at their exchange. He turns to him suddenly. “You do like sweets, don’t you?”

“I like gummy bears,” Harry responds only to have the menu ripped from his hands.

“Two packs of gummy bears, Neil,” Louis orders, handing the menus back very officially. “And a blanket.”

“Blanket?” Harry tries to ask only to have Louis press his fingers against his lips.

“Hush, Harold. You’ll see,” he promises, bouncing on his toes until Niall comes back with their stuff, taking out a flashlight and leading them to a spot right in front of the giant screen like an actual usher might do.

“Enjoy the movie,” Niall says with a little bow and then leaves them.

Louis spreads out the blanket sloppily. It’s okay if there’s not as much room as there should be. He’s fine with Harry sitting right on top of him if he really needs to.

Once the blanket is spread out, Louis flops down on it, limbs splayed to take up as much room as possible.

“Am I supposed to sit there, too?” Harry asks, squinting dubiously at the few inches of space left for him.

“Of course.”

“Where?” Harry wonders with a laugh, twisting his pack of gummy bears in his hands.

“I suppose you could sit on my lap,” Louis answers thoughtfully. “I’ve heard boyfriends do that.”

“Oh, really? Do  _fake_  boyfriends do that?”

“Oh, fake boyfriends do it even more than real boyfriends. Can’t keep their hands to themselves, really,” Louis assures Harry very seriously.

“Hmmm,” Harry hums, eyeing Louis’ lap. “Well, if it’s expected…” He situates himself between Louis’ legs, not really in his lap but close enough for it to feel intimate. “You alright back there?” He tosses over his shoulder, smirking. “Will you be able to see?”

“I can see just fine, Harold,” Louis huffs just as the screen lights up.

“What are we watching?” Harry whispers back at Louis though he doesn’t hear the answer, instead focusing on how Louis’ arms wrap around his waist, chin resting on Harry’s shoulder.

The movie is (500) Days of Summer, which is a pleasant surprise and Harry thinks it’s perfect that they’re sitting there watching a movie that kind of embodies their night so far. Louis is just like Summer Flynn who always does exactly what she wants and Harry is like Tom Hanson who can’t help but get caught up in her whirlwind. He wonders if Louis will leave anything behind in his wake before realizing that he’s thinking of them seriously, as something that will last longer than this one wild night. It startles him to realize that he doesn’t much care at the moment  _how long_  it lasts, as long as it’s still there tomorrow. He wants this, wants it to be real.

There’s a part in the movie where they play a game to see who will say the word ‘penis’ loudest in a crowded park. They start quietly and take turns getting incrementally louder. Louis starts playing along so, of course, Harry joins in. And then they’re shouting ‘penis’ at the top of their lungs only to be joined by a chorus of voices around them.

Startling, they both turn and find several other people sitting on the ground, watching the movie play. Some, watching  _them_  with knowing smiles. Probably uni students straggling home from study sessions or even the odd frat party.

Louis wonders how long these people have been there, if they’ve been watching the movie or maybe glimpsing just how fast he’s falling into whatever this is he has with Harry.

Harry thinks that this, too, is perfect. The rest of the world slowly getting pulled into Louis’ gravity. It seems an impossible task to resist. And who would want to, really?

They grin at each other, delighting in the company they’ve acquired rather than put off or embarrassed by it. Fun things are always more fun with a group.

Eventually, the movie has to end and they both stand, Harry picking up the blanket to fold it so they can return it to Niall.

Louis clears his throat as he leads the way back to the projection house where Niall will be putting away the film. “So…”

“So…” Harry returns, cheek dimpling though he’s trying not to smile at how adorably awkward Louis looks right now.

Eventually, Louis decides  _fuck awkward_  and just goes for it. “On a scale of one to ten. One being “I never want to see you again” and ten being “I think I’d like to keep you”, how am I doing as a fake boyfriend?”

Harry hums, scratching his chin pensively. “I’d say, seven.”

“Oh,” Louis sounds disappointed and that shouldn’t make Harry smile but the implications of it make his heart beat a little faster, fluttering in his chest as they walk.

“I mean, I think it’d be higher if you were a  _real_  boyfriend. You can’t keep a fake one, so… they can never really get a ten, can they?”

Louis’ eyes spark with something gleeful as he stares at Harry. “Alright. What would my score as a real boyfriend be?”

Harry turns to meet his eyes. “Definite ten.”

Louis grins, trying to hide it, biting down on it but it slips free again when he takes Harry’s hand and Harry tangles their fingers together.

“You’re never getting rid of me, now. You know that, right?” Louis asks.

“I’m counting on it.”

Louis stops walking long enough to pull Harry in by the lapels of his blazer and taste the lips that have been tempting him all night long.

 

+++

 

Louis’s go-see goes really well (thanks to a bit of help from his boyfriend), and Louis ends up walking the runway for Liam Payne’s new line of menswear. So does Harry, for that matter, having met Liam while he was being the supportive boyfriend and waiting for Louis outside Liam’s L.A. office.

Dominic joins them on the runway but keeps his eyes to himself when he sees Louis among the models. Louis may or may not be the slightly jealous type. Harry loves it.

After signing exclusive contracts with Liam, they swiftly become the modelling world’s new power couple, often strutting side by side down the runway.

In their free time, they return to The Echo Park Time Travel Mart and teach kids how to reach for their dreams. After all, the two of them have managed somehow. It’s only right that they spread the secret of their success. Louis says it’s persistence, Harry says it’s being open to new things. Niall says they’re idiots. But it works for them.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please be gentle with me. *praying hands emoji*


End file.
